Alpaca-lympics

The 8.12 bell tolls -

Using a gong that hangs in our porch, which we bought at Applecross near the Isle of Skye a few years ago, I joined in with the bell ringing on friday morning, to herald the launch of the 2012
Alpaca-lympics.

It's a chance for alpacas to show those skills not judged in the show ring, but practiced every week in their home paddocks - so far the programme is:

High jump - leap out of a pen made u psuccessively  from 3foot, 4 foot and 6 foot hurdles;
Long jump - leap over a disinfectant mat;
Cria sprint;
Cria jumping (over adult alpacas!)
Cria synchronised pronking;
Cria gymnastics;;
Target Spit;
Scatter spit;
Water trough cramming (most alpacas in the trough) in the Aquatic Centre;
Rolling pit - most 180degree turns in 1  minute;
For owners, The Faecal Sprint - to retrieve a  poo sample from a specific animal from 50m away (requires good eye and speed before you lose it);
Feed bucket hurling;
Herd round-up (one man without his dog);

There's still space in the programme for a few more events, if anyone has other suggestions...

Meanwhile we watch Autumn Gold (third from left) who reaches 11months pregnant tomorrow - she is a lovely-natured alpaca, though comes across as slightly 'dippy', and we wonder whether she'll have any idea what's going on, but hope she's been watching the others!